IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph: Singapore Price And Review

IWC introduces its summer edition of a beloved model.

Created in 1939 at the request of two Portuguese businessmen who wanted the precision of a marine chronometer on their wrist, the Portugieser has come to be one of IWC’s most coveted models.

Classy, functional and unfussy, it’s a watch that’s taken pride of place on many a connoisseur’s wrist. While various complications have found their way into the Portugieser family through the years, it remains, at its core, a precise timekeeping instrument.

In 2010, the brand launched a sportier version christened, the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph. No doubt a nod to the maritime origins of the Portugieser, the Yacht Club Chronograph is a ticker you can take out to sea confidently.

If the Portugieser is a smartly suited executive, the Yacht Club Chronograph is a handsome jock decked out for the pool. Or ocean, whichever you prefer. Clothed in a nautical theme of blue and white (with a pop of red), the watch exudes a casual vibe, complemented by a sturdy blue rubber strap.

Like the previous version, the Yacht Club Chronograph features an hour and minute sub-dial at 12 o’clock and a small seconds counter at six o’clock. In fact, the sub-dial positions at a vertical rather than horizontal axis (which is more common) are iconic Portugieser hallmarks. A date window at three o’clock and logo at nine o’clock offer an incredibly balanced dial, typical of most of the models in the brand’s other families too.

The Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph is powered by the manufacture Calibre 89361—not a new calibre by any means, but a reliable flyback chronograph mechanism with vertical clutch and column wheel, seen through a transparent caseback.

In addition to the new model, IWC is also premiering a special collection of fabric straps in seasonal pale blue or light grey hues. No stranger to offering different strap options (the brand has an existing partnership with renowned Italian purveyor of leather shoes, Santoni), IWC is presenting these new fabric straps for a limited time as accompaniments to existing models of the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII and Pilot’s Watch Chronograph, Portofino Automatic and Portofino Chronograph, as well as the Portugieser Chronograph.

While you can get your strap changed at the boutique, there’s nothing stopping you from doing it at home. Watch this video for a step-by-step guide through the simple process.

It’s easy to dismiss the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph as just a sportier version of its more elegant brother. But with the sports luxe trend looking like it’s here to stay, this is one watch you should definitely keep on your radar. Plus, it's available at the IWC boutiques now. #justsaying 

Case	43.5mm, stainless steel
Dial	Blue dial with white sub-dials, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, red stopwatch hand
Movement	Manufacture Calibre 89361
Strap	Blue rubber
Functions	Chronograph function for hours, minutes and seconds, flyback function, date, small seconds with stop mechanism
Power  Reserve	68 hours
Price	S$17,900

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